I haven't bought Madden since 09. I no longer have anyone to play with and I'm not good enough to play online. My son was the only one that really played me. He went to a Christian High School in 2010 and enlisted in the Marines shortly there after. *sniff sniff* Ha, jk

Loved playing the game though. I've heard the graphics and gameplay is completely different, so I'd really suck now

Honestly, I really don't even play online anymore. I'm mostly content with franchise mode and occasionally playing someone else head to head.

Honestly, I really don't even play online anymore. I'm mostly content with franchise mode and occasionally playing someone else head to head.

I stopped playing online many years ago. I do not have the quick reflexes required to compete with the young people, nor do I have the time to devote to absorbing playbooks like the average rabid online gamer.

I just have fun with the various modes of running a franchise. Even funnier is doing the EA game face thing with your own picture. I get a kick out of seeing myself on the sidelines or in games.

Quote:

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Valid points on the play of the game.

I would say many of the belittling comments are in response to off-season/GM moves on trades and such.

Yeah, I get and agree with the off-season/GM thing, because so many of the ideas are a bit whacky and unrealistic.

Madden has tried to replicate some of the front office stuff with salary cap management and more realistic trades, but still just a simulation of the real thing in that regard. If anything, it makes me sort of understand how complicated a GM's job can be, so I try not to act like I know what's up in a real FO in that regard.

__________________"Football is only a diversion." ~ Houston Texans, Inc.

And in her article, she posted a link to the following story during last year's playoffs:

Quote:

Ed Reed unimpressed with Joe Flacco’s performance in playoffs

More importantly, Flacco left one of the Ravens' most important players with a distinctly unimpressed feeling. Talking to SIRIUS NFL Radio on Monday, mega-safety Ed Reed said that Flacco underperformed against Houston's aggressive defense.

"They had a lot of guys in the box on him and they were giving [the pass] to him," Reed said. "I think a couple of times he needed to get rid of the ball. It just didn't look like he had a hold on the offense. I don't know how much of [that was] the play calling … but it just didn't look like he had a hold on the offense, you know, of times past … It was just kind of like they [were] telling him [what] to do -- throw the ball or get it here, you know, get it to certain guys."

-----------------------------------

"He can't play like [he did against the Texans]," Reed continued. "One specific play that sticks out to me was when Ray Rice came out and got pushed out of the backfield and [Flacco] still threw him the ball and he had Torrey Smith on the outside. I can see that sitting on the sideline or sitting in the stands. You don't know what someone else is seeing."

Houston wanted to evaluate younger talent, with the team in a seven-game tailspin, and Reed was not playing much. More to the point, he and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips never established a trust or relationship, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, with them having philosophical differences from the onset.

Things were “awkward” from their initial meeting when the Texans had Reed in for a free-agent visit this offseason, sources said, and Reed was mystified by the lack of sophistication in the team's defensive schemes, with a limited number of coverages, red zone, calls, etc. It was not nearly as elaborate as what he was accustomed to with the Ravens and Reed was torn as to how much angst to express to teammates and coaches, since he only just signed with the team a few months back and had not built up any currency there.

Reed could not justify some of the concepts and approaches the Texans take and he was making a very limited impact in their defense. With Ryan there is an immediate bond and Reed has a thorough knowledge of the defense. With Ryan he can act as a coach if need be, will be able to position others and can teach the young players. Ryan believes Reed can still dissuade quarterbacks from the throwing the deep ball, sources said, and believes he can scheme up opportunities for the ballhawk to get his hand on the football, while realizing Reed is not going to be heavily involved in the run game and has some limitations at this stage of his career, as well.

You nailed it in the off-season. You watched him for his entire career and knew last season was his last to be a productive player.

And in our intoxicated koolaide delusions, we thought you were just being bitter.

But, you were right on the money. And while listening to you would have have changed a damn thing with regards to the Texans signing Reed, at least we could have avoided any unrealistic expectations about the player.

Unless the last name is Brady or Manning, I am no longer going to cheer the Texans signing overpriced, used up, washed out past-their-prime players.

__________________"Football is only a diversion." ~ Houston Texans, Inc.

You nailed it in the off-season. You watched him for his entire career and knew last season was his last to be a productive player.

And in our intoxicated koolaide delusions, we thought you were just being bitter.

But, you were right on the money. And while listening to you would have have changed a damn thing with regards to the Texans signing Reed, at least we could have avoided any unrealistic expectations about the player.

Unless the last name is Brady or Manning, I am no longer going to cheer the Texans signing overpriced, used up, washed out past-their-prime players.

I got pretty beat up by people here but then lost my composure and lowered my standards for which I paid the price.

But my assessment of Reed's play was based on unbiased observance of his play since 2002. I stopped rooting for the names on the back of jerseys back in the 80's- I root for the name on the front of the jersey so its easy for me to assess a player's performance.

Ed was done 2 years ago- he hurt his hip initially against the Texans in the playoff game in Baltimore in 2010. Never really recovered from that.